Picture special: The Flying Scotsman steams through North Yorkshire

The Flying Scotsman steams through Goathland station, made famous in the Heartbeat TV series, in the North York Moors National Park, on its way from Grosmont to Pickering on its first day on the North Yorks Moors Railway.

Published:17:42Sunday 13 March 2016

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The Flying Scotsman steamed across the North York Moors during its first weekend back on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

Having undergone a multi-million pound re-fit, the locomotive will operate between Grosmont and Pickering, and is fully booked for all scheduled excursions through to March 20 on the scenic heritage rail route.

The Flying Scotsman steams across the North Yorks Moors during its first weekend on the North Yorks Moors Railway.

Tickets to ride behind the world’s most famous steam locomotive may be rarer than women’s phone numbers in a train spotter’s notebook but there will be plenty of opportunities to catch a free glimpse of the Flying Scotsman across the the UK in 2016.

The prodigal engine returned to York last month following its 10-year long £4.2m restoration and was on public display at the National Railway Museum until March 6 before embarking on its long-awaited national tour.

The tour has kicked off with a series of journeys across the North Yorkshire Moors between March 12 and 20, and then travels the length and breadth of the country until mid-July.

Seats on most of the trips are already sold out but a handful of tickets remain, although the prices will test the pocket depths of even the most dedicated steam enthusiasts.

The Flying Scotsman steams across the North Yorks Moors during its first weekend on the North Yorks Moors Railway.

On May 14, return tickets aboard the Flying Scotsman from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh - the journey which made the locomotive famous - cost £629 per person, which includes champagne breakfast, tea, coffee, pastries and a four-course dinner on return leg.

As the train will be powered by a diesel locomotive between London and York in both directions, the £499 cost of a return ticket from York to enjoy the full splendour of steam power is an absolute snip.